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Science 5 November 1982:
Vol. 218. no. 4572, pp. 563 - 565
DOI: 10.1126/science.218.4572.563
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Articles
Termites: A Potentially Large Source of Atmospheric Methane, Carbon Dioxide, and Molecular Hydrogen
P. R. ZIMMERMAN 1,
J. P. GREENBERG 1,
S. O. WANDIGA 2, and
P. J. CRUTZEN 3
1 National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado 80307
2 University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
3 Max Planck Institute for Atmospheric Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
Termites may emit large quantities of methane, carbon dioxide, and molecular hydrogen into the atmosphere. Global annual emissions calculated from laboratory measurements could reach 1.5 x 1014 grams of methane and 5 x 1016 grams of carbon dioxide. As much as 2 x 1014 grams of molecular hydrogen may also be produced. Field measurements of methane emissions from two termite nests in Guatemala corroborated the laboratory results. The largest emissions should occur in tropical areas disturbed by human activities.
Submitted on August 17, 1981
Revised on July 9, 1982
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